The Victoria Hospitals Foundation has received a generous $2.65 million gift from Seaspan Victoria Shipyards and the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation in order to help build a permanent, purpose-built High Acuity Unit (HAU) located at Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH).
The financial gift was announced by the Victoria Hospitals Foundation during a virtual press conference held on Tuesday morning.
The “transformational donation” will help accelerate work towards the completion of a permanent HAU.
According to Victoria Hospitals Foundation (VHF) members, a High Acuity Unit will help provide critically ill patients on Vancouver Island with more monitoring and specialized care than is available in acute care settings.
“The vision and generosity of this donation goes beyond bricks and mortar and life-saving equipment”, said Avery Brohman, executive director of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. “It speaks to our partners’ commitment to community and preserving the exceptional quality of life Vancouver Island is renowned for offering.”
The HAU, which will help be made possible partly because of the donation from Seaspan and the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, will offer an intermediate level of care between Acute Care units and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The Victoria Hospitals Foundation says it will be a place for patients recovering from surgery, severe respiratory distress or those being treated for serious medical conditions like COVID-19. High Acuity Unit’s are also places that have proven vital to managing hospitalization surges due to influenza, a pandemic response or mass casualty events.
“When we heard that Vancouver Island was the only health region in the province without this kind of unit we knew we had to act, especially considering the unprecedented impact COVID-19 is having in our communities,” said Joe O’Rourke, Vice President and General Manager of Seaspan Victoria Shipyards. “On behalf of over 3,100 employees in BC, including 1,000 locally, Seaspan is proud to be part of this lasting gift that will benefit the Victoria area now and for generations to come.”
With the latest gift received by the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, the fundraising campaign has now raised over $4.6 million, which is 65 per cent of the foundation’s target goal of $7 million.
According to the VHF, Tuesday’s donation represents the largest capital investment in critical care in Victoria by any funding partner in 20 years.
It also means the second phase capital investment part of the campaign is more than halfway complete.
To learn more about the campaign or to donate please call 250-519-1750 or visit victoriahf.ca/critical.
Graham Cox
